Husky Stadium has long had a reputation as one of the best-looking stadiums in the country. This week we are heading to Seattle to test that claim. As a bonus, it turns out that this game will be the Apple Cup, which pits UW against their state rival WSU. With the demise of the historical PAC-10, it was nice to see these two schools maintain their rivalry. College football needs more of that commitment to tradition these days.
Since sailgating is a thing at UW, we are going to give that a try over tailgating. While I am sure it is going to be fun, it does put me in a bind. The ship sets sail at 11am for a 1pm kickoff. With an hour sail time, I really won’t have time to see how the Huskies do at traditional tailgating. Judging by the cost of lot spaces (~$200) on the third party sites, it must be robust. I have contemplated going over early, like 7 AM, to cruise the lots, but it feels like a logistical nightmare. I also think my traveling companion is going to roll his eyes on that idea.
Far(to)go, but worth it
Our season opened at the Fargodome and it did not disappoint. We book-ended the game with some sightseeing at the Minnesota State Fair and followed by a few South Dakota landmarks. The full review will come out soon, but here are some quick observations:
- Getting to the Dome was a breeze. Getting to Fargo? That takes a bit more effort. There’s not much between Minneapolis and Fargo and it isn’t a short drive.
- The tailgating is robust. Fans I talked to noted that the tailgating was as big as it had ever been. Jumping to the FBS will do that for you.
- The game time atmosphere is vibrant. It was about 100 tickets short of a sell out at ~18,600. The 100 seat holders weren’t missed. This place was loud.
- • No worries about the Bison being able to hang at the FBS level. They slowly and surely took it to the Gamecocks.
Who do I like?
This Week
Hard to make picks early in the season, but I am pretty comfortable with what I have for this week
- New Mexico State should roll over the Hurst. It’s really an emotional hedge for me. If the Lakers somehow even manage to cover against the Aggies, I will be thrilled.
- Washington is much the same type of pick. I want the Huskies to win, but I would be really happy if it was a close game. Nothing worse than going all the way to the other side of the country to see a blowout.
- I like Georgia Tech over Colorado. I think their coach, Brent Key, is better than Colorado’s Deion Sanders. End of story.
- Color me unimpressed with Fla State last weekend. I like the Ponies to run wild over the Seminoles
Other thoughts on this week’s games
- There are lots of bad games the week, but any game with UMass in it is likely to be the worst game of the week. Rutgers should win handily.
- North Texas is getting 40.5 against Indiana. I like the Hoosiers, but that line scares me.
- I saw an article about Auburn’s new coach being a savant. An opening with Baylor will be a good test. I would take the over on that one.
- Clemson at LSU is the big one this week. Dabo could really use a big win. You don’t hear his name in the top coaches discussions anymore.
Last Week
I went 3-1 in my official picks and most of them weren’t even close. It was nice to be in the black for a change.
- •UNC took care of business against TCU. Winning is what happens when you focus on the field and not the bedroom.
- It looks like Virginia is picking up right where they left off last season. That, or the Wolfpack are really bad.
- I took a flier on Sac State. Their move to the FBS was a little rougher than the NDSU’s.
- No worries about the Bison being able to hang at the FBS level. They slowly and surely took it to the Gamecocks.
I didn’t get to see the other games, but few seemed noteworthy. San Jose State didn’t do much to earn their payday, but New Mexico State hung with Florida State for most of the game. As predicted, the Memphis – UNLV game may have been the best game of the weekend.
Not the greatest slate of games this week, but still, College Football is back!
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